Barnstable swimmers State tourney-bound

Monday

The Barnstable swimming team kicked off their postseason at the South Sectionals held last weekend at MIT in Cambridge.

Junior backstroker Cat Goodearl and classmate Ted Ells qualified for State in their respective races, as did the 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay teams.

The MIAA State Tournament will be held this coming weekend at Boston University, with the girls’ tournament on Saturday and the boys’ on Sunday.

“I love the backstroke, it’s really challenging,” said Goodearl. “It’s like you’re on fire the entire time, and when you get out, you’re just like completely Jell-O. But I really like that race a lot.”

Ells placed ninth in the 100 Butterfly with a time of 56.50, qualifying him for a spot at the States.

“It’s been a good season. Hopefully, I swam pretty well and put myself in a better place for States,” said Ells, whose time was above his personal best this season at 53 seconds.

However, the 100-yard butterfly was a move from his previous event the 100-yard freestyle.

“I was always a freestyler, but this year I took on the butterfly,” he said. “I had some fast times with it, so I decided to compete in it all season long.”

Goodearl placed 20th in the 50-yard freestyle (26.67) and 24th in the 100-yard backstroke (1:05.91). She also helped lead off the 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay.

“I feel like we all have a bond on the team regardless what grade you’re in,” said Goodearl, the junior captain. “We’ve given each other so much support this year, and it has helped us to swim so well. I think that comes from all of the support we have given each other all season.”

Senior Geoffrion has been hampered with a bad shoulder for much of the season but still managed to swim the butterfly in the medley.

“My shoulder has been getting stronger,” she said. “I enjoy the medley the best, and I’m excited for States. It will be my last time, so I hope we do well as a team.”

The 200-yard medley relay team of Goodearl, Eva Cotreau, Hannah Geoffrion and Sherri Danforth finished 23rd with a time of 2:00.83.

Said sophomore Cotreau, “I love the 200 (yard) medley relay, because we are all dependent on each other to swim our best stroke,” she said. “Our team spirit is really good, and we all pull for each other. It takes all of us working together, that’s why I like it so much.”

Barnstable’s 200-yard freestyle relay had the team’s best finish, with a 17th place and Goodearl, Morgan Dardia, Jessica Brady and Danforth recording a time of 1:48.51

“I’m second leg (in the 200-yard freestyle), so the mindset is to just not lose the lead that we have,” said Dardia, a sophomore. “You just have to give it your all so that the person who swims after you will keep up the momentum.”

Brady, a junior who competes in both the 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle added, “In the relays your job is to help your team out and keep up with the other swimmers in the other lanes.”

The 400-yard freestyle relay, which included Geoffrion, Madelyn Perry, Brady and Danforth, placed 20th overall with a time of 4:05.28.

Danforth, an eighth grader, is the youngest member of the team, and this is her first season with Barnstable High, after swimming several seasons with the Firefish club team out of Sandwich.